The Art of Design: Picasso's Girl Before a Mirror

One of my favorite tricks for coming up with a design scheme is to use a work of art as a springboard for my creativity. At home I draw inspiration from my travels (I'm a total museum junkie!) and when working with clients I use a famous work of art that they love or, if I'm lucky, a piece from their own collection.

Fine artists are masters of space, light, balance, rhythm, color and pattern. Their work can be an excellent template for making decisions on anything from wall colors to end tables. Just stick to the map and the road should lead you straight to a beautifully designed space. It's almost impossible to go wrong when you've got a masterpiece for a cheat sheet!

For this Art of Design roundup I chose to work from Pablo Picasso's Girl Before a Mirror. I've seen this painting a thousand times at MoMa and I always wonder if Picasso actually had that fabulous harlequin wallpaper in his studio. I guess we'll never know. Regardless, this fun, funky and wildly colorful modern masterpiece was the perfect inspiration for my imaginary retro reading nook. Check it out...